


The Stars In Her Eyes

by InvaderHog



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Cat Person/Dog Person AU, Continued Run Ins, Everyone is adorable, F/M, Fluff, Kay is a dog, Pet Store
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-04
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-10-28 02:41:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10822056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InvaderHog/pseuds/InvaderHog
Summary: This is for the May The Fourth RebelCaptain Secret Exchange for @silveranchor. Cassian and Jyn are two strangers that keep running into each other everywhere they turn.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter One  
That Time at the Pet Store

“Rogue One? Who names a pet store Rogue One?” he asked out loud.

Cassian stood outside of the store, Kay tugging on his leash a little. The black Rottweiler was excited to go inside and look at the other pets. Cassian had just moved into this neighborhood and was looking for a place where he could take Kay. Across the street was a big park but it was currently occupied with children released from school so he needed to keep his excitable and often annoyed companion occupied with the potential dog treats that were inside a building.

Cassian opened the door and heard the sound of a dog barking inside and the caw of a bird in a cage. The place was pretty big, considering. There were a few other people in the store on such a sunny Friday afternoon and people getting off work. The people who worked there were wearing normal clothes underneath brown aprons and wandered around answering questions. Kay seemed rather interested in a group of bunnies in a cage and went to sniff them as Cassian looked around, looking for the dog section.

“That’s a big ass dog,” a voice said and Cassian looked over to see a worker coming from around the counter, carrying a white Persian cat, looking annoyed.  
Cassian looked around to see who she was talking to and he realized it was himself.

“Uh, Kay is a little… uh big…”

“That’s a big dog,” she insisted.

“Oh… okay,” he muttered and looked away, unsure what else to say.

“I am Jyn. What are you here for?”

“Dog Food?” he asked, unsure if that was the right answer. Cassian was incredibly reserved and usually didn’t let anyone know what he was thinking, but apparently Jyn was not the kind of a person. She was squinting at him now.

“Dog food? Is that a question?”

“Uh… I-”

“Jyn! Can you not harass the customers for at least two seconds at a time?” a voice demanded and she rolled her eyes, looking over at an older man. His name tag said Draven and crossing his arms he was glaring at Jyn.

“I am sorry sir, what can I help you find?”

Cassian looked at Draven and said Dog Food and tugged on Kay’s leash to guide him towards the back of the store, but not before looking over his shoulder at Jyn. She glared at him as he went, not breaking eye contact until he did.

He found what he was looking for, got a bag and cart, got a few treats and then guided the dog back to the front counter where there was a line going. He stood there, looking at his phone every once in a while and saw that Melshi and the other guys from work were getting together for drinks if he wanted to join. Cassian didn’t really enjoy going out, he was used to be alone a lot so he declined politely and went to the counter to pay. The white Persian was sitting on the counter, staring at Cassian and then at Kay, now growling in a low decibel and causing the cat to stare more.

“Look- you found it,” Jyn said, and he squinted at her. 

“Thanks for the help,” he said and she rang him up.

“Twenty-five,” she said, and he handed her the cash from his wallet. He didn’t take his eyes off of her the entire time. Something about her was so intense that he felt that it was a challenge to look away from her first. He would not let this woman who worked in a pet store win.

She handed back his change and he took it, not breaking eye contact with her.

“Thanks,” he said, grabbing the money and she looked at him just as intensely.

There was a long silent moment and suddenly Kay let out a low grumble.

“This is my dog, Kay,” Cassian said, not realizing he hadn’t shown him off before. Jyn looked at the dog, now really grumbling in her direction.

“Charming,” she said and Cassian looked at the cat.

“And this is?”

“Stardust. My apartment has a no pets policy so I have to keep her here,” Jyn said, and he nodded, looking at the bored cat, enjoying tormenting Kay from above.

“She’s pretty,” he said, looking at her large blue eyes as she looked up at Cassian now. He reached out and touched her head. The cat instantly started purring, probably to taunt Kay more than anything and Jyn looked at him.

“She likes you, that’s unusual,” Jyn said, looking at the cat. Apparently the sign that said “beware of cat” on the counter hadn’t just been a cute little saying.

“Most people like me when they get to know me,” he said, and she squinted at him.

“Does that line work with all the girls?” she asked in a flat voice.

“Clearly not all of them,” he said, and that genuinely got a smile out of her. Clearly she didn’t want to but it was there. He felt triumphant.

“Have a good day,” he said, and pulled on Kay, leading him out of the door. Jyn watched him go and looked at Stardust.

“Really? Couldn’t you have bit him or something? What if he comes back?” she asked and the cat stretched and went back to sleep.

Cassian looked up at the store. He was really going to have to come back.


	2. That One Time At the Coffee Shop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adjusting to new job hours, trying to get my life together. Here's another chapter in the meantime!!!!

Chapter Two  
That One Time At the Coffee Shop

Cassian had to work hard to get the dog food up the stairs and into his new apartment, half of his place unpacked while boxes were strewn all over the place. He fed Kay and sat down on his computer. He kept thinking about Jyn and Rogue One.

To be honest, Cassian was not very smooth or flirty with anyone. He had a hard enough time just talking to people without seeming stiff, but the moment he started talking with Jyn, he’d wanted to make her smile. She seemed like the kind of person who didn’t give out smiles easily and he was so happy when he’d finally coaxed one out of her, even if it was cheap flirtation. He smiled at the memory and decided that he was going to go back there again.

He began work again on his manuscript and drank some coffee.

Cassian Andor was a writer in his spare time- working full time as reporter at a newspaper. He had transferred from the small local paper in Fest to Yavin, where he was living now. The Alliance Newspaper was a pretty solid online and local paper that did rather well. Cassian was good at his job- getting people to tell him things that maybe they didn’t want to tell. Hearing stories and giving a voice to the people of Yavin and Fest. He was now working as a reporter for the paper in the lifestyle section. He was trying to get up in the world, moving to the real hard pieces on the front page but he needed to start small first at his new job.

The story he was working on now had to do with a new coffee shop that was going to be opening soon. The small Rebel Coffee was a local chain that was being put under threat by the bigger Empire Coffee megachain that was moving in across the street. Cassian wasn’t for or against either side, but he was a reporter and he needed to report.

So he planned on going the next week and seeing what all the fuss was about.

He always wouldn’t mind stopping off at the pet store again. For treats for Kay, of course.

Rebel Coffee was next to the large park he was getting used to taking Kay to. He found that the place was pretty crowded for a sunny afternoon and he went inside to find it was a pretty interesting place. It was more of a jungle vibe than anything else. Empire Coffee had been sleek and black and silver, very chic. This place was a little more wild and fun.

He went and stood in line, putting out his notepad and writing down notes for his article. While he waited he heard someone say, “Jyn?”

He looked up and saw her standing in line with the other people waiting for their orders. She was not dressed in an apron today, and the jean jacket and boots made him think that the nice black Harley outside was probably hers. Not surprising.

She moved and took her drink and started heading for the door, but then stopped to check out something on the board. Cassian wanted to call out to her, but they didn’t really know each other and it would seem strange to yell at her across the store. So he impatiently waited in line, looking in her direction every few moments.

“Can I help you?” the kid behind the counter asked, his nametag reading Bodhi.

“Uh, yes, I was wondering if I could speak to a manager? I am a reporter for the Alliance and we wanted to do an article on the store.”

Bodhi looked like a deer caught in headlights and then turned to his coworker, muttering something. He probably didn’t know if it was allowed. Cassian looked over and saw that Jyn wasn’t standing by the wall anymore and felt a little sorry for not getting to speak to her sooner. He had a job to do though and the manager came out a few moments later.  
Baze Malbus was probably the most annoyed looking person in the world. He and Jyn probably would get along. He looked very put out by having to talk to a reporter, but it seemed that when told that the article was going to really highlight the importance of a nice little store like this, and the importance to the community, he was rather pleased.  
The two men spoke for a few moments, Cassian asking questions, getting a quote and a few figures. He took a few pictures with his cell phone and thanked him with a handshake. He was out into the bright sunshine a few minutes later and almost ran right into Jyn. He was so surprised he almost dropped his notebook he was trying to tuck into his jacket.

“H-Hi,” he said, and she bent down to pick up his notebook.

“Hi,” she said, squinting at him. Up close, he realized that she was incredibly short compared to him. He noticed that she didn’t look pleased to see him, even though secretly he was thrilled to see her.

“How’s your dog?” she asked, and he nodded.

“Good, good. And you?”

“I don’t have a dog.”

He knew she was making a joke but she said it with such a flat voice he was unsure how to respond. So he stared at her. She turned and looked away.

“Why were you taking notes?” she asked, realizing she was still holding his notebook. He took it back quickly and tucked it into his jacket.

“Uh, I am a reporter,” he said, and she nodded.

“You work for the Alliance?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied, and looked over and saw her bike. “I assume that’s yours.”

“That’s mine,” she said shortly and he was wondering if she really even wanted to talk to him. He tried to think of anything else to say when a voice called out.

“Jyn!”

An older man waved his hand and came towards them.

“Oh, crap,” she muttered under her breath. Cassian looked as the man came up to him.

“Jyn, I was looking for you,” he said in a pretty distinct Dutch accent. He looked at Cassian.

“Papa, I am coming,” she said, stepping in front of Cassian and he smiled at her.

“Jyn, please, introduce me to your friend,” he said, and Cassian smiled, crossing his arms a little.

“Yeah, Jyn, introduce your friend,” he said, and she glared at him.

“Papa, this is Cassian, Cassian, this is my father, Galen,” she said, and Galen took his hand, shaking it.

“A pleasure to meet you, Cassian,” Galen said and only cut off the handshake with a glare from Jyn. “Jyn hasn’t mentioned having any friends in town before.”

“I am actually new in town,” he said, smiling at Galen, “I am originally from Fest City, but I just moved here to be a reporter for the Alliance. I am out on assignment today.”

“Ah, a reporter,” Galen said, looking at his daughter in the way parents look when they are trying to hint at something and are way too obvious about it. Jyn looked ready to scream. “What kind of a story are you working on?”

“Papa, let’s go, Cassian doesn’t need to be bothered, he’s working,” Jyn said, grabbing her father by the arm and pulling him towards the sidewalk.

“Oh, right, well, I will see you later then, eh, Cassian?” her father asked, waving a little and Cassian smiled back, nodding. He saw Jyn make a face at him over her shoulder.

“I’ll see you around sometime, Jyn.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jyn in a leather jacket is just my dream. And Cassian's.


	3. That One Time At The Park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this has been such a slow update. I am in my final week of training for my new job and its been interesting.

Jyn Erso was not standing at the counter at the pet store the entire week following meeting Cassian a second time, wondering if he was the next person coming through the door. Nope, she was just cleaning the counter, petting Stardust and thinking about the importance of bird upkeep. She certainly didn’t just casually look at the front door every time someone came in, and she certainly wasn’t mildly disappointed he wasn’t the one who would walk through the door.

This went on for a week and she was starting to wonder if maybe all of this was just because she was bored. She was tasked one early morning with taking the dogs that were going to be up for adoption during an event in the afternoon for a few walks, letting them stretch their legs.

She took Stardust under her arm and tugged along Ghost, a massive husky who loved to linger. She was standing in the park, petting Stardust and waiting for Ghost to finish running around in circles when she heard a voice.

“Kay! Stop bothering that squirrel.”

She looked up and saw Cassian pulling on the dog’s leash, the dog ignoring him and barking at a squirrel just out of reach in a tree. Cassian looked over and saw her.

“Jyn,” he said, and she was unsure what to do. She stood up, gripping Stardust a little too closely as he came over, pulling on the persistent Kay. “What brings you to the park today?”

“Work,” she said, looking at Ghost now digging into the dirt. “I had to walk a dog,” she said, and then kind of didn’t know what else to say. Every time she ran into him, it was like she forgot what she was doing.

“Well, Kay wanted a walk so… I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind answering a few questions.”

She straightened up.

“Questions?”

“About your father, Galen Erso.”

She looked away. Now she was able to remember how to be impolite and angry.

“What about him?” she asked flatly and he looked surprised.

“Well, I was wondering why he seemed familiar and so I did a little research. I didn’t realize he was a nobel prize winning scientist!”

“That was a long time ago. He works as a professor now, so he doesn’t want to be bother by people like you,” she said, turning and grabbing Ghost’s leash and pulling him away.

“Well, I was hoping that I could speak to him. When I was at Yale, I read his paper on dynamics of alternatives forms of energy and their ability to be weaponized. It was really 

interesting.”

“Like I said, leave my father alone. And you know what? Why don’t you leave me alone while you’re at it?” she said, turning and glaring at him. He was surprised. But he didn’t say anything and she turned, leaving him behind.  
\---  
Jyn never talked about her father or his work with anyone. He had been a good man but after her mother died when she was eight, he had changed. He threw himself into his work with his best friend and turned out bitter rival- Krennic. The two were working on some seriously dangerous things for the military and had developed an incredible weapon that was scrapped by the Army because it was far too powerful and dangerous.

Krennic took advantage of the press of it and developed his own weapon and eventually left, pursuing a career with the military that had him ahead of his own military base. Galen however saw what he had almost created and scrapped all of his work.

He retired from that life and moved to the small town of Yavin, hoping to escape to a small university there where he taught and kept a humble life on a small farm outside of town. His daughter had followed him there to keep an eye on him and enjoy a break from her previous work as a grunt in the Army.

Jyn had joined when she was eighteen because she honestly didn’t know any other kind of life and when her father retired, she went into reserves and eventually settled down with him. The pet store was her only solace, and Stardust had become her favorite companion.

Then Cassian Andor happened and it was like the past couldn’t stay there.

He wanted to interview her father about his work so many years ago?

She couldn’t stand the idea of him even thinking about doing that to him. If anyone knew what Galen had been doing before he was a professor no one in town would look at him the same way. He had finally reached a good place. Cassian just didn’t understand why it was important everything stay quiet.

So she did what she always did when faced with a problem- Jyn avoided it completely.  
\---  
Cassian replayed the entire meeting with Jyn in the park over and over in his head. What had he said that made her so mad? He hadn’t meant to do that but maybe he had been too bold to ask for a meeting with her father? He barely knew her. He wondered if maybe he should have shown apologize for asking.

He went back to the store the next day but she wasn’t there. He asked about her but the nervous Bodhi seemed to avoid his eyes when asked about Jyn and Cassian left disappointed.

He didn’t see her at the coffee shop. Or at the park.

Cassian wished he was important enough to Jyn Erso that she would be avoiding him. But he knew better.  
\---  
“About that idea for an article, what happened?”

“I was thinking maybe I should do something else,” Cassian said, Mon Mothma, his editor looking at him surprised.

“You had been very insistent into looking more into Galen Erso. Why drop it now?”

“Thought that maybe he retired to a small place like this for a reason,” Cassian said. It was half of the truth. He looked around the quiet office, people typing away. Telling stories. Cassian always pursued information- the truth. Everything.

“That is exactly what we want to know about, Cassian. Why did such an amazing person become a farmer and a professor at a small university? That is a story.”

Cassian looked at the floor, unsure what to say. It wasn’t like he could really argue. He had pushed for this story when Mothma originally seemed disinterested in it.

So Cassian was going to have to figure out a way to approach Galen without Jyn’s help. And he was not looking forward to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that Cassian will win Jyn over, he has so much charm how can he not?


	4. The One Time At The Movie Theatre

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry this is taking so long to update, I went to working eight hour days to ten hour overnights- I have no idea how to keep up with my fangirling!!! SO HARD!!!

The next meeting is completely unexpected on everyone’s side.

Jyn on the rare occasion, was persuaded to attend a movie with Bodhi, solely because he just needed to look at her and beg like a little dog for only two seconds before she was forced into following his whims. The store was closed at nine and they were done by ten and able to go down the street to the X-Wing Theatre where they were showing a movie about a pair of star-crossed lovers that apparently Bodhi desperately needed to see.

Jyn was surprised when they got in line to find Baze from the coffee shop arm and arm with his husband, Churrit. The older blind man was a frequent customer with a very weird snake named Whills, and he was a great guy and Jyn loved him very much.

The four of them stood in line together, trying to decide what they were going to get for a midnight snack inside. As Jyn was looking around the line to see how long the wait was, she was unfortunate enough to spot Cassian standing towards the front, talking with a woman.

And there was no way that Jyn’s reaction was anything more than hunger. She was instantly even angrier than usual and was glaring in his direction. But then she realized that she was not happy to see him, that was all. She wasn’t jealous that he was smiling and laughing. She looked away, crossing her arms and followed the line in silence, Bodhi going on and on to Baze about the coffee shop that he didn’t seem to notice.

The group got their tickets and started heading into together and Jyn lost sight of Cassian and his mystery woman. She thought that maybe they were already in the theatre but just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he came around the corner and saw her.

“Jyn,” he said, clearly surprised to see her too.

“C-Cassian,” she said and the others were looking at them, Jyn’s reaction clearly not normal for how they were reacting. “Why are you here?”

Of course that was a ridiculous question but neither seemed to notice when both looked at the people they were with. Cassian recognized Baze and Bodhi, and was inspecting the newcomer while Jyn was eyeing a very serious woman in white, looking a little bored.

“Cassian, introductions,” she said, and he nodded, “This is Jyn, she works at the Rogue One Petstore I take Kay to all of the time,” he said, and she nodded, Jyn glaring in her direction.

“Jyn,” Cassian said in almost a warning tone, “This is my boss and head editor for the Alliance, Mon Mothma.”

Jyn’s anger and jealousy instantly disappeared and was replaced with surprise and relief. This was his boss. Which meant that he was here as a reporter. She didn’t mean to relax so much but the thought just made her feel better.

“This is Bodhi, he works with me, and this is Baze and Churrit, they own Rebel Coffee.”

“Ah, the article you did last week,” Mon Mothma said, looking at Cassian. He nodded and she introduced herself to the men, shaking their hands and asking them follow up questions. Bodhi hurried to get some popcorn and Jyn looked at Cassian, unsure what to say.

“I am sorry.”

His sudden apology came so suddenly that she almost didn’t know what he was apologizing for. Then she remembered their last talk.

“I didn’t mean to get you mad, about your father. I told my editor that I would rather not write about him,” Cassian said, and she crossed her arms.

“I have no right to interfere. My dad can do whatever he wants. You want to ask him questions, I can’t stop you.”

She usually would have put up more of a fight but she knew that Cassian was being honest and he clearly wanted to apologize. If he was going to write something about her father at least she knew that she could trust he wasn’t going to be malicious about it like some writers would be. She had a weird sense of security when Cassian was around. She felt like maybe that was strange considering she didn’t trust anyone- except Bodhi of course.

Cassian looked relived that she wasn’t angry at him anymore. He stepped forward, leaning in a little.

“I am glad you’re here tonight.”

If she wasn’t such a good poker player, Jyn was pretty sure that her face would be on fire. She made a non-commital shrug and they all made their way to the theatre. He was there for work and was reviewing the movie so he had to join his boss, but he was only a few rows ahead, so Jyn looked at him every time a boring scene came up. She saw him shaking his head and then leaning in to Mothma at certain moments, whispering.

She only paid attention to the action scenes and the death scene and then left the theatre with no actual clue what had happened. She saw Cassian hanging back a little, his boss heading out alone and she told Bodhi to head out without her. He seemed pleased that she was looking for Cassian and he got a punch in the arm for implying she was looking for him at all.

She waited a beat and then went up to Cassian.

“Heading home?” she asked, and he smiled a little.

“Yeah, I was going to offer to take you home, but I don’t think that you would take it.”

She shrugged a little.

“I might be walking the same direction, who knows?”

He smiled again and put out a hand, letting her take the lead and she was really happy she had such a good poker face because her heart was not doing her any favors.  
\---  
The walk back to the apartment where Jyn lived was only a few blocks but it was almost an hour later when they finally reached it. Jyn and Cassian had been fairly quiet the entire walk, neither really sure what to say. Jyn was just doing everything in her power not to say something that might start another fight between them and Cassian was having a hard time thinking of things to say that might not offend her.

“I am sorry,” he said when they were finally at her building.

“For what?” she asked, turning and looking at him. Under the moonlight and the streetlamp down the sidewalk, he looked like an angel.

“For just suggesting that you should introduce me to your father,” he said and she looked away. “I didn’t mean to imply that I should get that chance- I just thought it would be a good story. But I told my editor I’d go in another direction.”

She looked back, surprised.

“You’re just going to drop it?” she asked, and he shrugged.

“There’s a really old tree in the park that is having its birthday tomorrow,” he said, grinning a little. She smiled and looked away, unsure how he was the only person she was sure could make her blush.

“Anyway-”

“I’ll ask, if he wants to meet you,” she said, blurting it out.

“Really?”

“My father has his reasons for not wanting to be noticed, but if he wants to see you, I can’t stop him.”

Cassian nodded and looked at the ground, unsure what else to say. Then he spoke up.

“Uh, are you working tomorrow?” he asked.

“No, I am off,” she said, looking at him. “Why?”

“Kay and I would like to invite you for a walk in the park. If you’re not busy.”

He had thrown in Kay as a comfort, so she wouldn’t think it was a date, even though he’d leave Kay in a heartbeat if she would agree to a date with him. But the dog was a good buffer.

“Sure,” she said, smiling a little and he smiled back, suddenly very excited. “Tomorrow at noon?”

“Great,” he said, sounding a little breathless. She smiled again and went into her apartment and he watched her go, grinning widely and feeling like he might run the two miles back to his apartment to calm down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little happy chapter!!!


End file.
